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GMAT Reading Comprehension is an important question type to master. If you haven’t yet tackled this week's passage, take a look at it now and take a few minutes to answer the associated questions that we posted. They are the questions you should work through each time you break down a reading comp passage.
Now, let's talk analysis.
- The TOPIC of this passage, or the broad main idea, is Knowles's theory of and assumptions about andragogy. GMAT passages don't contain a lot of filler, so you usually see the gist of the topic emerge in the first paragraph, if not in the first sentence.
- The SCOPE of the passage is a more detailed focus within the topic. In this passage, the scope is the characteristics of adult learners. The bulk of the passage lists and describes the characteristics of adult learners that inform the theory of andragogy.
- Finally, the PURPOSE of the passage is the author's intent in writing the passage, what he wants to do with the material. The tone of this passage is neutral, similar to what you might see in a textbook. So, the purpose of this passage is to explain Knowles's views of the characteristics of adult learners.
As you are working through GMAT Reading Comprehension passages, you should stop after each paragraph to jot down brief notes that summarize the main points of each paragraph. Here's what your Paragraph Map should look like:
- Paragraph 1: Knowles's views re: the characteristics of adult education classes.
- Paragraph 2: Knowles's beliefs—5 assumptions—about the characteristics of adult learners.
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Next week: we'll tackle questions from this passage and see how the work that we've done in analyzing the passage will allow us to be more efficient in earning points on GMAT Test Day questions. Until then, happy studying!
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